Image forming apparatus facilitating detachment of toner cartridge from process cartridge attached to housing of image forming apparatus

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a housing, a top cover having an opening, a process cartridge attachable to the housing, a toner cartridge attachable to the process cartridge, and an interlocking mechanism. The top cover is pivotally movable between a first position closing the opening and a second position opening the opening. In a state where the toner cartridge is attached to the process cartridge, the toner cartridge is pivotally movable between an attachment/detachment position where the toner cartridge is attachable to and detachable from the process cartridge; and a fixed position where the toner cartridge is fixed to the process cartridge. The interlocking mechanism is configured to pivotally move the toner cartridge to the attachment/detachment position when the top cover is moved to the second position, and to pivotally move the toner cartridge to the fixed position when the top cover is moved to the first position.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
 a housing having an opening; 
 a top cover movable between a first closed position where the top cover closes the opening and a first open position where the top cover opens the opening; 
 a process cartridge attachable to and detachable from the housing through the opening, the process cartridge comprising:
 a developing roller; 
 a developing frame supporting the developing roller, the developing frame having a developing frame opening; 
 a photosensitive drum; 
 a drum frame supporting the photosensitive drum; and 
 an elastic member interposed between the developing frame and the drum frame to allow relative movement of the developing frame to the drum frame; 
 
 a toner cartridge attachable to and detachable from the process cartridge, the toner cartridge comprising:
 a casing configured to accommodate toner therein, the casing having a toner supply opening configured to communicate with the developing frame opening; and 
 a toner cartridge shutter movable between a second closed position where the toner cartridge shutter closes the toner supply opening and a second open position where the toner cartridge shutter opens the toner supply opening; and 
 
 an interlocking bar configured to move the toner cartridge in interlocking with movement of the top cover to move the toner cartridge shutter between the second closed position and the second open position. 
 
     
     
       2. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the drum frame comprises:
 a first drum frame; 
 a second drum frame; and 
 a connection frame connecting the first drum frame and the second drum frame. 
 
     
     
       3. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the elastic member is interposed between the developing frame and the connection frame of the drum frame. 
     
     
       4. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the connection frame has a toner receiving opening for receiving toner supplied from the toner supply opening, the toner receiving opening being in communication with the developing frame opening, and
 wherein the toner supply opening is configured to communicate with the developing frame opening through the toner receiving opening. 
 
     
     
       5. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the elastic member has a communication opening overlapped with both the developing frame opening and the toner receiving opening as viewed in an up-down direction, and
 wherein the toner supply opening is configured to communicate with the developing frame opening through both the toner receiving opening and the communication opening. 
 
     
     
       6. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the process cartridge further comprises a process cartridge shutter configured to close and open the toner receiving opening. 
     
     
       7. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the toner cartridge is pivotally movable between:
 an attachment/detachment position where the toner cartridge is attachable to and detachable from the process cartridge; and
 a fixed position where the toner cartridge is fixed to the process cartridge, and 
 
 wherein pivotal movement of the toner cartridge between the attachment/detachment position and the fixed position causes the toner cartridge shutter to move between the second closed position and the second open position. 
 
     
     
       8. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the toner cartridge further comprises a connecting portion having a cylindrical shape defining an axis, the connecting portion being connectable to the process cartridge,
 wherein the toner supply opening is formed in the connecting portion, and 
 wherein the toner cartridge is pivotally movable about the axis of the connecting portion. 
 
     
     
       9. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the interlocking bar is a rack having a rack gear, and
 wherein the toner cartridge further comprises a gear configured to meshingly engage with the rack gear. 
 
     
     
       10. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the top cover is configured to pivotally move about a pivot axis between the first closed position and the first open position. 
     
     
       11. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the toner cartridge is pivotally movable between:
 an attachment/detachment position where the toner cartridge is attachable to and detachable from the process cartridge; and 
 a fixed position where the toner cartridge is fixed to the process cartridge, and 
 wherein the toner cartridge is configured such that, when the toner cartridge pivotally moves from the fixed position to the attachment/detachment position, an upper end of the toner cartridge moves away from the pivot axis of the top cover in a horizontal direction. 
 
     
     
       12. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an exposure head provided at the top cover, the exposure head being configured to expose the photosensitive drum to light, the exposure head being movable between an exposure position where the exposure head exposes the photosensitive drum to light and an outside position where the exposure head is positioned outside the housing, the exposure head being at the exposure position when the top cover is at the first closed position, the exposure head being at the outside position when the top cover is at the first open position. 
 
     
     
       13. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the toner cartridge is movable between:
 an attachment/detachment position where the toner cartridge is attachable to and detachable from the process cartridge; and 
 a fixed position where the toner cartridge is fixed to the process cartridge, and 
 wherein a space occupied by the toner cartridge when the toner cartridge is at the attachment/detachment position is overlapped with a space occupied by the exposure head when the exposure head is at the exposure position. 
 
     
     
       14. An image forming apparatus comprising:
 a housing having an opening; 
 a top cover pivotally movable about a pivot axis relative to the housing between a closed position where the top cover closes the opening and an open position where the top cover opens the opening; 
 a photosensitive drum; 
 a drum frame supporting the photosensitive drum; 
 a developing roller configured to supply toner to the photosensitive drum; 
 a developing frame supporting the developing roller; 
 a toner cartridge attachable to and detachable from the drum frame, the toner cartridge being configured to supply toner to the developing roller, the toner cartridge being pivotally movable relative to the drum frame; and 
 an exposure head provided at the top cover, the exposure head being configured to expose the photosensitive drum to light, the exposure head being movable between an exposure position, where the exposure head exposes the photosensitive drum to light, and an outside position, where the exposure head is positioned outside the housing, the exposure head being at the exposure position when the top cover is at the closed position, and the exposure head being at the outside position when the top cover is at the open position, 
 wherein pivotal movement of the toner cartridge is in interlocking with pivotal movement of the top cover, 
 wherein the toner cartridge is pivotally movable between
 an attachment/detachment position, where the toner cartridge is attachable to and detachable from the drum frame, and 
 a fixed position, where the toner cartridge is fixed to the drum frame, 
 
 wherein the toner cartridge is configured such that, when the toner cartridge pivotally moves from the fixed position to the attachment/detachment position, an upper end of the toner cartridge moves away from the pivot axis of the top cover in a horizontal direction, and 
 wherein a space occupied by the toner cartridge when the toner cartridge is at the attachment/detachment position is overlapped with a space occupied by the exposure head when the exposure head is at the exposure position. 
 
     
     
       15. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the drum frame comprises a guide for guiding attachment of the toner cartridge to the dram frame, the guide extending in a direction inclined relative to an up-down direction. 
     
     
       16. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 14 , further comprising:
 an interlocking bar configured to pivotally move the toner cartridge in interlocking with pivotal movement of the top cover. 
 
     
     
       17. The image forming apparatus according to  claim 14 , further comprising a process cartridge comprising:
 the photosensitive drum; 
 the drum frame; 
 the developing roller; and 
 the developing frame.